(Grand Island, Nebraska – August 13, 2011)
Lona Lowell, 76, of Kearney, NE died just before 7:00 P.M. Saturday evening when her 2002 Oldsmobile minivan was struck and massively damaged by an eastbound Union Pacific freight train at the crossing of Cornhusker Highway/U.S. Route 30 and UPRR tracks just west of Grand Island, NE.
The victim’s car was hit on the driver’s side and was dragged some distance beyond the crossing, which is equipped with both lights and gates. Grand Island Police Dept. Sgt. Tony Keiper said the victim, who was headed northwest, was declared dead at the scene. Keiper said he did not know if the vehicle may have stopped on the tracks or whether it was trying to get to the north side and was simply unable to clear the tracks before it was hit by the train.
